Music Therapy Times 2021

MUSIC THERAPY TIMES ISSUE 15 | SEPTEMBER 2021

President’s Note:

In This Issue:

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Music Therapy Day

Another year has passed in this COVID-19 world, and we see so many organizations, public and private - transforming their services to address changing needs. What we once thought impossible is now the norm. We have seen how resilient we all can be, and how we adapt to change. On behalf of AMTS, I’d like to thank all our frontline workers once more for your dedication and professionalism.

MT Day 2020: Tea Time Talk with a Music Therapist: Music Therapy as a Career MT Day 2021: Snapshots of Music Therapists Working in Singapore

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Masterclass: Introduction to Indian Classical Music

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IAMM Presentation: Music in Healthcare: Aspirations and Possibilities in Singapore

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Music Therapy and Mental Well-being BRAVE: Catholic Youth Mental Health Festival 2020 AMTS x Beyond the Label Collaboration COVID-19 One Year On A Personal Reflection

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Conversations with Friends of AMTS Dr Lee Cheng, Institute of Mental Health Dr Philip Yap, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital

As we look to transform our health and social care services, my hope is for us to strongly consider how music can play a vital role in improving Healthcare, Quality of Life, Well-Being, and Society.

Personally, I’d like to explore a Continuum of Care in Music - A coordinated system of care to guide and support an individual through a range of accessible music services (music education/performances/therapy) over a person’s lifetime (Pre-natal stage – End of Life). This will see collaborations including but not limited to, music educators, musicians, policy makers, music psychologists, researchers, and music therapists – work together to support an individual and one another through life. It has been encouraging to witness some exciting collaborations already happening in Singapore.

Once again, thank you to our donors, partners, and allies for your continued support to the association.

Lastly, I thank my wonderful EXCO team for their dedication and efforts in serving together and to all AMTS members – Professional, Associate, and Students – for the brilliant advocacy work you do.

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much” - Helen Keller

Calvin Eng, MT-BC AMTS President

Editor’s Note: Welcome to the 15th issue of Music Therapy Times!

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Advanced Training in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music

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Up Close and Personal

Scan the QR Code to head to our website.

@musictherapysg @amtsingapore

We are in the process of consolidating a repository of resources for the larger community.

These resources include community choruses and music-related volunteer groups that the community can participate in. Stay Tuned!

Disclaimer: Please note that the resources are not music therapy services and are only for general information and leisure. AMTS disclaims any and all liabilities in connection with the contents of this resource. Please seek professional advice when in doubt.

It has been another year of holding on and striving forward amidst the challenges of today. In light of the prevailing importance and focus on mental health, we have a special look at music therapy and mental well-being, and hear a personal sharing from one of our professional members.

We also feature moments of learning and sharing that our music therapists have been a part of, and an advanced training made available for music therapists and other professionals in the region. Finally, hear from two Friends of AMTS who have championed the power of music and music therapy, and get to know our new and returning music therapists in the Up Close and Personal section.

A big thank you to Eta Lauw from the editorial team, the AMTS EXCO for their support, and to all who have contributed to this newsletter. We wish you a wonderful reading experience!

Trudy Chua, RMT Editor

AMTS EXCO 2020-2022 President: Mr Calvin Eng Vice-President: Ms Hu Shuying Secretary: Ms Grace Low Treasurer: Ms May Ng

General Members: Dr Tan Xueli Ms Chong Kai Wen Ms Trudy Chua Ms Farhana Rizaini Ms Jolene Yee

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Music Therapy Day

MT Day 2020: Tea Time Talk with a Music Therapist: Music Therapy as a Career

Music Therapy Day (MT Day) is an annual public event by AMTS. It has been conducted since 2010 to promote and raise awareness of the profession, and to address queries of potential music therapy students.

Traditionally, MT Day consisted of several presentations relating to the profession with lively and personal Q&A’s at the event. As the COVID-19 pandemic had brought about new ways of learning and meeting, MT Day 2020 and 2021 took on new formats as well.

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely transformed the way many of us do things. Webinars and online meetings have become the new normal. AMTS was naturally led to run its first online event to celebrate its annual Music Therapy Day on 24 October 2020, “Tea time Talk with a Music Therapist: Music Therapy as a Career.”

In order to maintain the spirit of MT Day at this inaugural online event, the MT Day Committee members (Kayla, Camillia, Clara, Eta and Trudy) planned the event focusing on individuals who may be considering a career in music therapy but were not sure where to start. The event consisted of a presentation by AMTS President, Calvin Eng, where he shared an overview of Music Therapy in Singapore. This was followed by five smaller breakout groups where our professional members were present to address questions of potential music therapy students.

A total of 15 professional members were involved in this event, with 65 participants in attendance. Each breakout group had 10-12 participants, with 1-3 professional members available to facilitate the discussion. Breakout group topics included what a typical day as a music therapist was like, and how COVID-19 had affected work.

Participants provided feedback sharing that the event exceeded their expectations, and that the breakout room was useful for having questions answered.

MT Day 2021: Snapshots of Music Therapists Working in Singapore On 11 April 2021, AMTS followed up on its Music Therapy Day advocacy efforts via webinar format.

Entitled “Snapshots of Music Therapists at Work in Singapore”, the 2.5-hour event attracted close to 200 participants from eight countries. “Snapshots of Music Therapists at Work in Singapore” comprised five presentations spanning a range of topics by AMTS members who worked with different populations from cradle to grave. Trudy Chua gave a moving presentation on how Music Therapy could address different goals in palliative care from physical, emotional to transcendental goals. Tammy Lim shared on the advanced method of Guided Imagery and Music. She conducted a short experiential of the method and explained how it could be applied in clinical settings via a case study. Jolene Yee shared how music could be used to reach out and connect deeply to Youths-at-Risk via teletherapy in a Family Service Centre.

Publicity poster for Music Therapy Day 2021.

Music Therapists can also work integratively with professionals from other disciplines. AMTS members, Farhana Rizaini and Lynn Koh, shared on their collaborations at THK EIPIC to help young clients achieve developmental milestones, with more in-depth sharing with Speech and Language Therapist, Tori Cordingley. Isabel Chua also co-presented with Art Therapist Lee Sze-Chin on their joint art and music therapy telerehab sessions at St Luke’s Hospital for palliative patients.

Overall, the event was a success and provided the committee with much insight into how to run a successful online event.

The presentations sparked a lively Q&A and feedback from the presentations were encouraging. Many stated that the presentations were insightful, inspiring and highlighted the potential and growing need for music therapy in Singapore.

Kayla Wong, RMT, NMT

Eta Lauw, RMT, Austin Vocal Psychotherapist Presentation line-up for Music Therapy Day 2021.

Presenters and committee members at the event.

AMTS professional members supporting AMTS’s first virtual MT Day.

Music Therapy Day 2021 planning committee. Top row: Eta Lauw, Kayla Wong. Bottom row: Trudy Chua, Camellia Soon and Hu Shuying.

Poster of event: Tea time talk with a music therapist: Music Therapy as a Career.

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IAMM Presentation: Music in Healthcare: Aspirations and Possibilities in Singapore

Masterclass: Introduction to Indian Classical Music On 27 November 2020, eight AMTS professional members attended an “Introduction to Indian Classical Music” masterclass conducted over Zoom by Dr Namita Mehta and Mr G Lakshmanan, specifically for music therapists working in Singapore. Both Dr Mehta and Mr Lakshmanan are active performers with extensive international performing careers, and are practitioners and educators of Indian classical music.

On 29 June 2021, AMTS Professional member, Isabel Tan, a Registered Music Therapist working in St. Luke’s Hospital, together with Kenneth Lam, Deputy Director of Operations and Rehabilitation in St. Luke’s Hospital, and Calvin Eng, President of AMTS, presented at IAMM With You: Music in Healthcare: Aspirations and Possibilities in Singapore. The International Association for Music and Medicine (IAMM) is a non-profit organisation to encourage and support the use of music in medical contexts including research into the benefits of music, and its specialized applications in healthcare (www.iammonline. com). IAMM members include music therapists, medical doctors, and other healthcare professionals. In particular, this presentation was open to both IAMM members and non-members.

Dr Namita Mehta received her Doctorate in Hindustani Classical Music from the University of Delhi.

Given the cultural diversity in Singapore, music therapists in Singapore work with many patients and clients from various countries, cultures and religions. As such, it is important for music therapists to have an extensive music repertoire and also to be mindful and respectful of the traditions behind the music as we facilitate our sessions.

The presentation was based on the theme of how music could be envisioned to be at the forefront of holistic healthcare.

The presentation began with an introduction of Singapore to the international audience, showcasing Singapore food, landmarks and statistics. Next, the Association for Music Therapy, Singapore, was introduced as Calvin shared on the current development of the profession. Kenneth then introduced St. Luke’s Hospital, sharing the hospital’s vision of making music therapy services accessible and how they are exploring how music and the arts may play a vital role in improving healthcare, quality of life, well-being and society. I then shared the impact that music had on the patients whom I have worked with at St. Luke’s Hospital.

During the masterclass, we were given an overview of the Northern Indian Classical Music, and the notation system of traditional Western music was used as a frame of reference to make the content more relatable as all of our music therapists were trained with a Western classical music background.

Despite the logistical challenges in conducting an online music masterclass due to sound quality issues, it was an engaging session nonetheless. Thank you Dr Namita Mehta and Mr G Lakshmanan!

Grace Low, MT-BC, NMT

During the main Q&A segment, many ideas of collaborations were raised by the audience, providing scope for limitless possibilities to be explored within an international realm. I was also glad that there was a dedicated Q&A segment to address specific queries by music therapy students who were interested in specific music therapy approaches facilitated in St Luke’s Hospital, and questions on cultural sensitivity in healthcare, which are very important in a country like Singapore.

Mr G Lakshmanan graduated from LaSalle College of the Arts with a Diploma in Music. He is certified as a music instructor with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to conduct workshops on Indian classical music at local schools.

Overall, this presentation has raised international awareness on the development of music therapy within the healthcare sector in Singapore, and has resulted in more opportunities for further collaborations with researchers and educators based overseas on music and health in research and development.

Isabel Tan, RMT

Poster of the IAMM event: Music in Healthcare: Aspirations and Possibilities in Singapore.

Dr Mehta and Mr Lakshmanan sharing the Indian Classical System with AMTS members using a Western music frame of reference.

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Music Therapy and Mental Well-Being BRAVE: Catholic Youth Mental Health Festival 2020 In October 2020, I was invited to present at Brave, a virtual mental health festival from 10-31 October 2020 for Catholic youths, organised by Clarity Singapore. Being Catholic myself, it was a meaningful event that I was excited to contribute to and a privilege to be featured alongside various eminent speakers in the Catholic community.

It was a time when the COVID-19 tornado was going round and upending various events. So what was meant to be a Music Therapy Workshop quickly evolved into a virtual event. I had often given talks about music therapy to the public but this was the first time I was invited to give a spiritual perspective on music and mental health. I introduced music therapy, the effects of music on the brain, and shared some music therapy techniques. To weave together how music can play a role in mental health, I shared a case study of the journey of a 17-year-old client.

Through songwriting in music therapy, he had the space to express his deepest thoughts and emotions, and he felt listened to. Finally, I brought in the difference between hearing and listening, as well as the value of silence.

It was an interesting learning journey for me as I prepared for this presentation. I examined the importance of listening in music and how that same delicate skill is used in listening to oneself and the still small voice of God. This eventually became the title of my presentation - Listening to the still small voice: Music Therapy and the role of music in mental health.

AMTS x Beyond the Label Collaboration Early in 2021, the opportunity to collaborate with the National Council of Social Service on their Beyond the Label (BTL) movement arose.

The aim of BTL is to eliminate mental health stigma and to encourage persons with mental health conditions to seek help. AMTS is honoured to be involved and playing a role in this very important conversation by advocating on how the use of music can be a way to seek help and show support to peers and oneself.

A sub-committee of AMTS professional members was formed to support in producing content that will be visualised for the campaign’s social media outreach.

The Beyond the Label Festival took place from midSeptember to October 2021, which brought panel dialogues, masterclasses and workshops, including “Music Mirrors Me”, a lyric analysis workshop conducted

by AMTS professional members Evelyn Lee and Jolene Yee on 25 September. This workshop included local singer-songwriter Marcus Lee, who shared his songwriting journey with us.

An acronym to use music to have honest and authentic conversations about mental health was shared: C - Context L - Location E - Evoking F - Feeling T - Talk More Tune in to @beyondthelabelsg on Instagram and Facebook, or AMTS Facebook page to watch the recording of the workshop, and to learn more about CLEFT!

Fontane Liang, HCPC-UK, NMT AMTS BTL Sub-Committee (Calvin, Evelyn, Farhana, Fontane, Jolene and Kai Wen)

COVID-19 One Year On: A Personal Reflection The past year and a half has brought about a myriad of experiences for all, with uncertainties, challenges, and opportunities for growth. Professional member Kai Wen, a music therapist from Malaysia working in Singapore, shares with us her reflections on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted her personally and professionally in this time of being away from home.

Similar to most of the people out there, I had never ever thought that COVID-19 would become a new norm that everyone will have to live with. As a Malaysian working in Singapore, going home had always been easy and convenient. I still remember that at the beginning of the pandemic, I was still able to go home to celebrate Chinese New Year with my family, as most cases were seen only in East Malaysia back then. It did not occur to me then that that would be the last face-to-face gathering for us in the past 18 months, and would be the one that I cherish deeply. I never knew that “When is the next time that we get to see each other?” would become a frequent question that we have on our minds especially with the increased cases in Malaysia these few months. This has indirectly become the most popular topic that we (my family, cousins, and friends) talk about during our voice and video calls. As a person who likes to plan things ahead, this uncertainty is unsettling. Being able to know exactly when I could see my family and friends in Malaysia has always been one of my biggest motivations and happiness working “far” from home.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, I had been experiencing a magnitude of different feelings and emotions, from feeling happy to sad to feelings of frustration, anxiety and numbness. Sometimes, a mixture of feelings were felt in one day, every day. Although I look fine on the surface during work, I know that the pandemic has impacted my well-being in some way.

As daunting as it seemed, I am glad that I was able to compartmentalise my feelings most days and could still be as professional as possible, putting the feelings and emotions aside to concentrate during therapy sessions with my clients.

Nevertheless, there were just some days that were especially challenging.

It was only when I struggled to bring myself to go to work that I realised that I was truly not well “inside”. While it was a difficult season, I am grateful that I was able to be honest with myself with what I needed at that time, which was to acknowledge my own feelings and to be kind to myself. In a way, this is in line with what we as therapists do every day for our clients - acknowledge our clients’ feelings and to hold space for them.

Looking at the bright side, I have learnt much more about myself during the pandemic. I have become more self-aware, more self-accepting, and I have also learnt many good ways to self-care. I am also thankful that I have been able to apply knowledge from my profession to keep me going: I do covers of songs that resonate with my feelings, followed by processing them just like how I do with my clients. I create my own playlists for mood regulation on Spotify. I have also joined music communities such as Voices of Singapore - a community chorus. In addition, I write songs for clinical use, which also helps to boost my self-esteem at work; and many more.

Last but not least, I am grateful for all the caring and supportive people around me, especially my partner who has been by my side when I have no one here to rely on. I am also thankful for having a stable income. There are indeed many uncertainties, but I think at this moment, the only way is to learn to live with it.

Chong Kai Wen, RMT

Differences between hearing and listening were highlighted in Fontane’s presentation.

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A Beyond the Label social media post on connecting with others using music, as part of the publicity efforts for the “Music Mirrors Me” workshop by AMTS.

Kai Wen with her family and partner.

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Conversations with Friends of AMTS

Qn: From your perspective, how can Music Therapy fit into the mental health model in Singapore?

Dr Lee Cheng, Institute of Mental Health Dr Lee Cheng joined the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in 1994 and is currently a psychiatrist and senior consultant. He is also ​​Programme Director of the National Addictions Management Service (NAMS), and Clinical Director of the Office of Population Health at IMH. Dr Lee has been a frequent contributor to Shin Min Daily News since 2016, and his articles usually reach out to the older Chinese readers in Singapore. In January 2021, Shin Min Daily News published Dr Lee’s article addressing the role of music therapy in supporting persons with mental health conditions.

Dr Lee shares with us his thoughts on the potential of and need for music therapy in the mental health landscape in Singapore.

There is definitely a role for music therapy with the adult population in this setting, for patients in recovery and patients who have recovered.

Music, for them, can be a form of coping, a healing process, and a form of recovery.

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Qn: Have you had the opportunity to witness the benefits of Music Therapy in the geriatric setting?

As the music therapy profession continues to grow and develop in Singapore, we recognise that the help and support of many friends and partners of AMTS have been crucial in leading the profession to where it is today. We hear from two Friends of AMTS who are leaders in the fields of mental health, geriatric medicine and dementia.

In the clinical setting, music therapy can support the treatment of mental health conditions such as depression. Within the community, music therapy can be used as an intervention to reduce anxiety for the public. I feel that many people in the community experience some symptoms of anxiety, and it would help if we can reach out to them before the situation escalates and develops into a mental health condition. This need to provide support is especially prevalent in light of the “pandemic fatigue” that many are experiencing, and the anxieties that have surfaced.

In order to increase public awareness on the benefits of music therapy, a greater pool of local evidence-based research evidence is needed. This will also allow the profession to canvass for more funding and support.

Qn: How can Music Therapy be beneficial for the clients at IMH? The music therapists at IMH currently work within the Child Psychiatry department. As I am mainly working with the adult population, I have not had the chance to work closely with them yet, but it would be great if music therapy services can be expanded to more age groups in the mental health setting!

There is definitely a role for music therapy with the adult population in this setting, for patients in recovery and patients who have recovered. Music, for them, can be a form of coping, a healing process, and a form of recovery.

Songwriting and music performances have been a way for persons recovering from substance use disorders to share their journeys and passions, and there is room for music therapy to work with this population too.

Qn: What is something you would share with other healthcare professionals in Singapore about Music Therapy?

Music therapy can help to ease one’s distress and also provide a means of expression. Do strongly consider music therapy as an alternative to the current therapies available, especially for persons who might be able to benefit from this, such as persons with anxiety and depression.

I have definitely seen the benefits of music therapy in our patients over the years and it has been eye-opening for me. With music therapy, you can see a person come alive when engaging with music, you can see a person who normally keeps his eyes closed start to open up. Music is useful as a vehicle to reach into a person - it can draw a person out from an apparent slumber, and it gives family members that glimpse of hope that the person is not lost, the person is still there, the ability to reach into him is still there.

Dr Philip Yap, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital Dr Philip Yap is a senior consultant geriatrician & palliative care physician at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Dr Yap is a long-time friend and advocate of music therapy. He has collaborated with music therapists in working with the dementia population for more than a decade and has also co-authored papers on the effect of music therapy on behavioural and depressive symptoms, and the validation of a music therapy engagement scale for persons with dementia.

Dr Yap shares with us his encounters and experience with music therapy and some suggestions on how music therapy can continue to grow in public healthcare in Singapore, especially in dementia care.

Music therapy can facilitate other areas of care as well. If you have the person open up and engage, they’re more willing to take their medicine, or to engage in physiotherapy. I remember for some patients, the multidisciplinary team gets them to have music therapy first, the physiotherapist then comes in, and with the music, you get the patient up and walking, otherwise they wouldn’t want to walk. So sometimes you need to have a combination of approaches, and the therapists work together to try to help the patient.

We’ve also had instances where engaging in music therapy enabled the patient to open up and talk more about his personal preferences. In this case, we requested the music therapist to ask a patient whether he preferred to go home or to a nursing home, because he did not respond when asked by other staff and we are thus unable to respect his choice of care options.

I also did a study with a music therapist who provided music therapy for patients attending day care. The results showed that it helped to reduce behaviour issues for persons with dementia.

Qn: In your opinion, what can Music Therapists do to become more established within our Public Healthcare system?

With music therapy, the person comes alive when engaging with music...and it gives family members a glimpse of hope that the person is not lost, the person is still there and it is possible to reach into him.

While music therapy services can show outcomes in terms of well-being in patients - engagement, psychological and emotional well-being - it can be challenging to show outcomes in terms of the hard details like cost-savings.

Perhaps, in showing the effect of music therapy on dementia care, the reduction of agitation and improvement in behaviour issues can be quantified in terms of reduced need for drugs and reduction in complications.

Finally, Singapore’s dementia guidelines would be updated soon.

With this new evidence and other countries adopting them, we should update our guidelines and include music therapy as a recommendation.

Qn: What is something you would share with other dementia-care and geriatric-care healthcare professionals in Singapore about Music Therapy?

Music therapy is a key component of the care we provide for people with dementia. Without music, the quality of our care and service would be much handicapped. There are of course other interventions we provide, but music is definitely the mainstay, it’s cardinal! With difficult patients, other interventions may not always help but music almost always does.

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Advanced Training in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music

Tammy Lim, a music therapist from Assisi Hospice and a GIM assistant trainer, engaged two GIM primary trainers from the Atlantis Institute for Consciousness and Music, Dr. Nicki Cohen (USA) and Santiago Vilá (Colombia), to make GIM trainings available for therapists and other mental healthcare professionals in Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries (more info about primary trainers: http://www. atlantisicm.com/about/faculty/). While GIM courses are traditionally conducted in-person, this was adapted to be conducted online in light of COVID-19, and is currently one of the few GIM trainings available online in the region.

Apart from equipping trainees with the ability to conduct online individual or group GIM sessions for their clients, a community of practice for GIM has been established in the region, allowing GIM trainees and practitioners to share their experiences and learn from each other. This comes with the hope of enhancing the emotional well-being of the larger community through the healing power of music, especially during this difficult time of the pandemic.

The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) is a unique form of psychotherapy, which uses preprogrammed (mostly classical) music to explore the inner self and uncover unconscious materials to help clients work on wide-ranging psychological and emotional challenges.

A total of 17 professionals, including music therapists, an art therapist, a social worker, a psychologist, and a music educator, from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong attended the GIM Level 1 training, hosted by Assisi Hospice, in November 2020 and March 2021. Subsequently, 11 out of the 17 trainees completed GIM Level 2 training in June 2021. The trainees have not only experienced personal growth and breakthroughs through this powerful method, but have also expanded their professional skills and knowledge by integrating the power of music into their own practices.

Tammy Lim, MA, MT-BC, FAMI

Primary trainers Dr Nicki Cohen (left) and Santigo Vila (right), and assistant trainer Tammy Lim (middle). Picture taken in January 2019, where Tammy received a certificate for one of the modules in her GIM Level 3 training.

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Snapshot of GIM Level 1 training in November 2020.

Trainees’ Feedback: GIM has changed the way I understand music and my own personal relationship with it. I have grown to appreciate it more and more over the duration of the training, as well as learning about GIM as a traveler. Being someone with no prior training in music, understanding how music can be my co-therapist is a treasured experience. I know that I am not there alone, and that my traveler is being held by the music, and the music supports me as the guide. I look forward to letting the music take me wherever I need to go.

The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery & Music (GIM) training has opened up new possibilities and hope for us to live a vital, creative and satisfying life. It addresses the limitation of selfunderstanding as we might be fixated on looking for an answer in ordinary consciousness and neglect exploring our deeper unconscious.

The GIM process facilitates insights through music listening in a nonordinary state of consciousness to holistically enhance the realisation of our human potential.

This training has given me a unique and engaging learning experience.

It is a comprehensive and concrete training programme which also provides ample opportunities for trainees to build their skills. All trainers are professional and well experienced and took trainees step-by-step through the core GIM principles and processes.

Valuable guidance and feedback are provided throughout the course.

Most importantly, it is a powerful transformative personal journey where the music and my trainers have helped me to reconnect to my inner self, to clarify my life goal and to gain courage to engage my passion to move on.

Calvin Pang, AThR, Registered Art Therapist

Chia Teck Shiun, Social Worker

Dr. Felicia KS Lee, PsyD., Registered Clinical Psychologist

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Up Close and Personal

Daniel conducting a training for nurses on using music in their care plans at an aged care facility in Mongolia in 2019.

Daniel Seah, RMT

Jolene Yee,RMT

1. What or who inspired you to become a music therapist?

Daniel: Many years ago, I attended a Music Therapy workshop at AWWA and I was inspired by how local music therapists work in Singapore in various settings. The concept of music therapy being presented seemed new to me at first but it sparked the interest in me to use my musical skills as a therapeutic tool in contributing to the needs of our society.

Jolene: Hearing music therapists share about their work and how they use music was really interesting to me. Music was always in my life but studying its effect on us and how it can be used for specific therapeutic benefits was what drew me to this profession.

2.Could you share an inspiring moment in your work as a music therapist?

Jolene conducting a tele-therapy session.

4. How has the pandemic impacted your practice as a music therapist?

Daniel: During my first session of work as a music therapist in the early intervention setting, I was inspired by how musical engagements are able to open up different avenues of communication for kids who were seemingly unable to engage with those around them. I am very inspired by how music is able to create a safe space for them to open up and express themselves in a fun and safe setting.

Daniel: During the pandemic, restrictions were enforced at my workplace. We had to work with kids in smaller groups and as a result, we had to rethink and reshape our activities to address the goals in a smaller group setting. On top of that, there is also the need to constantly sanitize our instruments after each session.

Jolene: I am thankful that I have had many wonderful patients.

One particular patient with a degenerative disease inspired me with his sense of wonder towards music. He was eager to give music a try, something he had never engaged with before.

Despite his physical limitations, he would always try his best to make music. It was his interaction with music and spirit of perseverance that stuck with me for a long time.

Jolene: In this pandemic, I have been having more teletherapy sessions. With technology, there is a need to get suitable equipment for these sessions to run as smoothly as possible (e.g. headphones, microphone). There has also been more room for new projects and collaborations to happen. It is exciting to see how our profession will continue to evolve.

3. Could you share about a moment in your work as a music therapist, and what/how you learnt from it?

5. Tell us one fun fact about yourself :)

Daniel: One of the challenging moments faced at work is working with kids that I have not worked with before. It is uncertain of what to expect from them but I am always supported by their teachers who are always helpful to assist me during the sessions. I have learnt that it is ok to come into a session with a new kid not knowing anything, as it is through a process of developing a therapeutic relationship that I am able to better understand and learn the needs of my clients.

Jolene: In my current work, I see many patients with a history of stroke and have limited consciousness. This pushes me to be creative in how I engage and communicate with them due to their limited movements and expressions. It has been a journey of learning how to be attuned to the little nuances in our interactions, understand their way of communicating and discover how music can be a part of these processes.

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Daniel: I have a strong passion in advocating and pioneering music therapy in Mongolia. With the help of connections with local NGO Bayarin Medee Social Services and missionaries there, I made my first trip there in 2017 and another one in 2019 to help run workshops and clinical trainings alongside social workers from the local NGO. During my second trip, I was involved in helping to train nurses and caregivers in implementing a sustainable music programme in the aged care and disability setting.

Jolene: My main instrument is the bass guitar.